The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: the First Epistle of S. John
And S. Augustine, Serm. lix. Verb. Dom. (al. lxii.), says, “The all-powerful Physician came down to heal the sufferer. He humbled Himself so far as to take mortal flesh, just as the physician comes down to the bedside of his patient.”
2. What did God become in the Incarnation? He became flesh, or man : “ The flesh,” says S. Augustine, “ had blinded, the Flesh healeth thee. For the soul became carnal by yielding to carnal affections, and the eyes of its heart were thus blinded. But the Word was made flesh. Thy Physician made thee an eye-salve, that by His Flesh He might extinguish the sins of the flesh.” The flesh of man is wretched, above that of other animals, subject to countless sufferings and diseases, and corrupted by concupiscence. But yet the Word assumed it, and passing by all the orders of angels, came down into this vale of misery, and united this very flesh to Himself by the closest bond of a personal union. Supposing a sheep were led to the slaughter, and a man from love and compassion wished to die in its stead, as S. Francis used to buy and set them free for love of Christ, would not this be termed an insane and extravagant love ? But the love of Christ was as much greater than this, as God surpasses man infinitely more than a man surpasses a sheep. This therefore is the great mystery of godliness (1 Tim. iii. 16). We ought then to wonder and be astounded at this when we see the Infant lying in the manger, and say, “ Can this child be my God, the King of heaven, the Creator of the universe?” S. Thomas says (Opusc. lx.), God communicates Himself to all by His presence, to the just by His grace, and above all to our flesh by His substance ; naturally, supernaturally, and personally, says Cajetan. And in fact, by His manhood He has raised all men, and through them the whole universe, and united it to Himself, that God might be all in all. And again, He united Himself to man, the first to the last, for man was the last created of all things, God coming round to that point from which He started.
3. But for whom did He become flesh? For man, a sinner, and like to the vilest worm. “The child was born, the Son was given for us.” Christ did not assume our nature for Himself, as though He needed or delighted in that humanity which He assumed. It was for us. We were the ultimate end of His Incarnation . For He was born in the flesh, that we might be born spiritually in our souls. “ For us men,” &c., in the Nicene Creed. What, says S. Anselm, “ can we imagine more compassionate, than God saying to a sinner, destined to eternal punishment, and unable to redeem himself, Take My Only Begotten Son, and offer Him for thyself; or for the Son to say, ‘Take me, and redeem thyself.’ Codrus sacrificed himself for his country ; but what comparison can this bear to Christ, who, clothing Himself with our flesh, freed us from eternal death and hell, and made us heirs of His heavenly kingdom and eternal glory ? ”
4. But why was the Word made man ? To deliver man from hell, death, sin, and utter misery of body and soul. For the Word gained nothing for Himself but the “ emptying ” of Himself, insults, poverty, death, and the cross. For our redemption “He was born in time, that we might be born for eternity, He was born in a stable, that we might be born in heaven ” (S. Gregory Nazianzen). Hear S. Augustine (Serm. ix. de Nativ.) : “ Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is from eternity, the Creator of all things, became our Saviour by being born on this day. He was born for us in this ever-changing state, in order to bring us to the eternal Father. God became man, that man might become God, and, that man might eat angels’ food, the Lord of angels became man.” And also S. Gregory Nazianzen (in Distiches). S. Clemens Alex, says that by His Incarnation He changed earth into heaven, and made angels, and even gods, of men. (And so too [Pseudo]-Origen, Horn. ix. in diversis ; S. Leontius, Serm. vi. de Nat. ; and S. Anselm, Cur. Deus Homo.)
See then the immensity of this blessing. God not only rains down manna, but rends the heavens as it were, and showers all the treasures and compassions of the Godhead upon us. (See Isa. xlv. 8.) And S. Augustine, Serm. xxvii. (nunc clxxxvii.): “ My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, the Lord by whom all things were made, the Revealer of His Father, the Maker of His Mother, the Son of God — of His Father without a mother; the Son of Man — of His mother without a father ; the Word of God before all times, made man at the fitting time. . . . Great in the form of God, little in the form of a servant . . . And yet not so as to detract ought from His greatness, or that His littleness should be overwhelmed by His greatness,” &c. And S. Gregory Nazianzen thus rejoices (Orat. xxx. 7) : “ Christ is born : glorify Him ; Christ has come down from heaven : go forth to meet Him. . . . Clap your hands together, all ye people, for unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. . . . He who is without flesh is incarnate, the Word increases in stature, the invisible is seen, the intangible is touched, He who is without time begins to be the Son of God — is made the Son of man. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.” See S. Bernard (Serm. i. de Epiphany) : “What could declare His mercy so much as His taking on Him our misery? ... for the more He humbled Himself in His humanity, the more did He exhibit His goodness ; and the viler He became for me, the dearer did He become to me.” And (Serm. lxiv. in Cant.), “ O the sweetness, the grace ! O the power of love ! The highest of all has become the lowest of all. And who effected this ? Love ignoring dignity, great in condescension , mighty in its affections, powerful in persuasion. And what mighty violence ! love triumphs over God, to teach us that it was of His love that His fulness was poured forth, His height brought down, and His one nature associated with another.”
Let us then open our heart wide to receive this manna pouring down from heaven, that so by our boundless desires we may embrace and taste all its sweetness. Let us imitate the Patriarchs, who waited four thousand years, and longed and thirsted for it, saying, “ O that thou wouldest rend the heavens and come down ! ”
Let us imitate the Blessed Virgin, who after His conception longed for His birth, was torn away from the world, and wholly united to Christ. Let every one make known to Christ his necessities, and that temptation which specially weighs him down, and say confidently with S. Catherine of Sienna, “ O Lord, I have Thee present :
Thou art mine, I will not let Thee go till Thou removest this temptation ; grant me this virtue or grace, till Thou entirely possessest my heart, and imbuest it with Thy love.” For He came on earth for this very purpose. S. Jerome and S. Paula went to Bethlehem, that they might continually behold in their minds the birth of Christ. So S. Francis just before his death celebrated Christmas with an ox and ass, ever repeating, “Let us love the Babe of Bethlehem.” And S. Bernard on this mystery surpasses himself, as he preached, saying, “ Christ gave Himself wholly for thee : do thou give thyself wholly to Him ; as He became man for thee, do thou in return be born to Christ — engraft thyself with the Word, betroth and give thyself wholly to God.” See also Serm. in Cana Dom . at end of his works.
And our hands have handled of the word of life. That is, that Very Word which we have handled, seen, and heard. That which we could handle and touch, His humanity, e.g., and thus have found that He truly assumed human flesh, and was not a phantom or spectre. Happy they who were permitted thus to see, hear, and touch the Incarnate Word. See Luke x. 23.
Didymus refers all this to the Resurrection, a mystery which the Apostles constantly confirm and enforce. The Gloss confines it to the Transfiguration. But it is far better to refer it to the whole economy of the Incarnation of the Word of life, that is, the eternal, uncreated, Divine Word. S. Basil thinks that the Holy Spirit may be called the Word. But, as S. Thomas says, in an improper sense. See notes on John i. 1.